Irv Gotti Gets Back In The Game With His New Visionary Brand

Irv Gotti Gets Back In The Game With His New Visionary Brand

After an extended hiatus, esteemed hip-hop exec Irv Gotti is finally making his long-awaited return to music. His first recent effort came in the co-signing of 14-year-old Maddi Jane, who has been billed as “the female Justin Bieber.” Since then, the Murder Inc. Records founder has announced the launch of a new entertainment company called Visionary.
Gotti announced the new venture via his Instagram account and revealed that the young pop phenom Jane has been signed to Visionary, through Atlantic Records. He went on to write, “For years I have been wanting to start an ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY called VISIONARY. And yesterday was one of the 1st steps with bringing Maddi Jane. 14 year old superstar from Chicago to my family at Atlantic Records.”
Now, this isn’t the first time that the hip-hop impresario has worked with a pop act. In fact, who can forget the time he signed piano-pop princess Vanessa Carlton to his Murder Inc. camp back in 2006? Sure, the move was questionable at the time, but during her time with the label Carlton was able to release her lauded album Heroes & Thieves. Chart performance aside, the LP was undoubtedly huge critical success.
Aside from announcing the signing of Jane, Gotti explained that Visionary will also be focusing on television—revealing that he and 51 Minds’ Cris Abrego will be working on an upcoming reality show for Ja Rule— as well as a management firm for artists, actors and athletes, as well as a new home for Murder Inc. music.
Gotti explained, “MURDER INC will be a label under VISIONARY. And things I will do with Ja will always be MURDER INC AND MPIRE. and if I find another rapper that inspires me to work with them. It will be MURDER INC.” Still, there will be a bit of a divide in his ventures. He went on to write, “But an artist like Maddi Jane will be under VISIONARY.”
The recent news comes after Gotti’s long-running campaign at trying to officially get back in the music biz. In 2011, he appeared on MTV’s RapFix and made a case for why he should be given the then-vacant Def Jam President seat. A year later, he was rumored to be allegedly making moves to become Drake’s manager as part of Lyor Cohen’s purported management company. Despite those failed attempts, it looks like Gotti’s back.